Calibrachoa plant named &#39;Duealcostra&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Calibrachoa  plant named ‘Duealcostra’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to outwardly spreading, trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; red to dark red-colored petals with a dark purple-colored central band and yellow-colored stripes; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Calibrachoa sp.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DUEALCOSTRA’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofCalibrachoa plant, botanically known as Calibrachoa sp. and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Duealcostra’.

The new Calibrachoa plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Rheinberg, Germany. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new compact Calibrachoa plants with uniquebi-colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa plant originated from a cross-pollination made bythe Inventor in July, 2013 in Rheinberg, Germany of a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number AA11-000764-001,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietaryselection of Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number AA12-006136-001,not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Calibrachoa plantwas discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantfrom within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germany in May, 2015.

Asexual reproduction of the new Calibrachoa plant by vegetative terminalcuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Rheinberg, Germanysince July, 2015 has shown that the unique features of this newCalibrachoa plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Duealcostra’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Duealcostra’ as a new and distinct Calibrachoaplant:

-   -   1. Compact, semi-upright to outwardly spreading, trailing and        decumbent plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and freely flowering habit.    -   4. Red to dark red-colored petals with a dark purple-colored        central band and yellow-colored stripes.    -   5. Good garden performance.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe female parent selection in plant habit as plants of the newCalibrachoa are more compact than plants of the female parent selection.In addition, plants of the new Calibrachoa and the female parentselection differ in flower color as plants of the female parentselection have salmon-colored flowers.

The new Calibrachoa can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Calibrachoa differ primarily from plants ofthe male parent selection in flower color as plants of the male parentselection have deeper red-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Calibrachoa can also be compared to plants ofCalibrachoa sp. ‘USCAL91001’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 23,232.In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Calibrachoa differprimarily from plants of ‘USCAL91001’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Calibrachoa are more compact than plants of        ‘USCAL91001’.    -   2. Plants of the new Calibrachoa have shorter internodes than        plants of ‘USCAL91001’.    -   3. Plants of the new Calibrachoa and ‘USCAL91001’ differ in        flower color as plants of ‘USCAL91001’ have red purple-colored        flowers with yellow-colored stripes that extend from the throat        to the petal margins.    -   4. Flower color of plants of the new Calibrachoa fades during        the summer whereas flower color of plants of ‘USCAL91001’ does        not fade during the summer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Calibrachoa plant showing the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Calibrachoa plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Duealcostra’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of typical flowersof ‘Duealcostra’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the summer in 12-cm containersin a glass-covered greenhouse in Rheinberg, Germany and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Calibrachoa production. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C. andlight levels averaged 4,500 lux. Rooted young plants were pinched onetime three weeks after planting and were 16 weeks old when thephotograph and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Calibrachoa sp. ‘Duealcostra’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number AA11-000764-001,            not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Calibrachoa sp. identified as code number AA12-006136-001,            not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About seven days at            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About three            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About four            weeks at temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically white in color,            actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate            composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate            temperature and age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, semi-upright and outwardly            spreading to trailing and decumbent plant habit; freely            branching habit with about seven primary lateral branches            developing per plant; pinching enhances branching; dense and            full appearance; vigorous growth habit; moderate growth            rate.        -   Plant height.—About 18 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 46 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 39 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 1.5 mm to 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 8 mm to 14 mm.        -   Strength.—Strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading to trailing            and decumbent.        -   Texture.—Pubescent.        -   Color.—Close to 146C and 152A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Before flowering, alternate, and after            flowering, opposite; simple.        -   Length.—About 2.8 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Rounded.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent;            matte.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 137A; venation, close to 144B. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 137C; venation,            close to 144C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 mm. Diameter: About 1.2 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 144C. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single salverform flowers            arising from leaf axils; freely flowering habit with usually            about 120 to 140 flowers developing per plant; flowers face            upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering habit, plants of            the new Calibrachoa initiate and develop flowers about four            to five weeks after planting; plants flower continuously            from the spring throughout the summer in Germany.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about seven to ten            days on the plant; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 2.9 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 2.6 cm.        -   Flower throat diameter.—About 9.2 mm.        -   Flower tube length.—About 1.3 cm.        -   Flower tube diameter, base.—About 3 mm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter: About 4.2 mm.            Shape: Elongated oblong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to            145B and 70A.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 1.3 cm. Petal lobe width: About 1.4 cm. Petal shape:            Roughly spatulate. Petal apex: Rounded. Petal margin:            Entire. Petal texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; matte. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening,            upper surface: Close to 53B. Petal, when opening, lower            surface: Close to 53D. Petal, fully opened, upper surface:            Ground color, close to 53A; towards the margins, close to            53C; central band, close to 79A; stripes and spots, close to            9A; venation, close to 181A and 79A; with development,            ground color becoming closer to 53C to 53D and stripes and            spots, closer to 10B and 10C. Petal, fully opened, lower            surface: Close to 52B; venation, close to 146B. Throat:            Close to 9A and 10A; venation, close to 148A. Tube: Close to            14B; venation, close to 151A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with five sepals;            sepals fused at the base. Sepal length: About 1.2 cm. Sepal            width: About 2 mm. Sepal shape: Lanceolate. Sepal apex:            Acute. Sepal margin: Entire. Sepal texture and luster, upper            and lower surfaces: Pubescent; matte. Color, upper surface:            Close to 137B. Color, lower surface: Close to 137C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.            Angle: About 45° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture: Pubescent. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower.            Filament length: About 6.3 mm. Filament color: Close to            154C. Anther shape: Ellipsoidal. Anther length: About 1 mm.            Anther color: Close to 5B. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 4C. Pistils: Quantity: One per flower.            Pistil length: About 8.6 mm. Style length: About 8 mm. Style            color: Close to 150B. Stigma shape: Ellipsoidal. Stigma            color: Close to 141C. Ovary color: Close to 144C. Seeds and            fruits: Seed and fruit development have not been observed on            plants of the new Calibrachoa.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have been observed    to have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 40° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Calibrachoa have not    been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Calibrachoa plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Calibrachoa plant named‘Duealcostra’ as illustrated and described.